Spooktober work trip
By Dan Feer et al.
The Cadillac Crew’s October work trip of glorious weather and foliage color began with a bang, or a thud, as a 1.5-ft diameter tree fell across the access road to our weekend base at Blackburn Trail Center. Fortunately, before most of the crew had to wind their way up the hill, John Kittridge was able to tow the trunk to the edge of the road, where Chris Brunton made a few strategic chainsaw cuts, and Jonathan Robertson and caretaker Lauren Singer pried the sections into the woods.
…And the weekend only got better from there.
For our trips to Blackburn we always divide into two groups. The cabin team had a long list of must-dos including repairing the carriage house walls, string-trimming the front yard and splitting several cords of firewood. The trail team headed to the AT just north of Raven Rocks with a list of its own. This section of trail is a couple hundred yards of ankle busters that we needed to level, and Sunday both teams stayed at Blackburn to finish the cabin projects and fell and buck some hazard trees.
Steve Barber, Karen Brown, Chris B, Kirsten Elowsky, Neil Hopper, Michael Johnson, Jonathan R, Maryann Stetter, and Dan Wooley worked through the cabin punch list under the guidance of Barbara Cook and John K.
Returning veteran, Phil Abruzzese, Janet Arici, Edlyn Becton, Alice DeCarlo, Dan Feer, Ellen Feer, first-timer Stacy Furukawa, Chris Glembocki, Erica Glembocki, Bill Greenan, Peter Haupt, Dave Jordahl, Rob Lamar, Don Oellerich, Steve Phillips, Tysha Robinson, Lauren S., and Kate Walker literally hit the trail with sledge hammers and rock bars to rehabilitate dozens of yards of trail under the leadership of Robert Fina.
We love hard work and the results of all our projects this weekend were phenomenal, just take a look at the pictures, but this was our Halloween work trip. It’s always loads of fun. Sandi Marra makes amazing main courses for us, Chicken Marbella this month, and we carve pumpkins. Kirsten won this year’s contest. The vote was nearly unanimous.
The alchemy of fun, old and new friends, hard work and a mission greater than the moment draws us in and together. Month after month, we make time to rehabilitate trails for thousands of people we will never meet and for each other. If you’ve been looking for a challenge and dozens of new friends, send us a note at ccrewpatc@gmail.com. We train.